Ala Moana Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Ala Moana Bowls over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, the start of this period is a bit of a struggle. The surf is there in size, but the wind and swell direction just aren’t playing ball for clean, quality waves. The water temp is sitting at about 81°, which is average for this time of year, so no worries there.

We kick off Sunday the 23rd with a chunky 7 ft swell, but it’s coming from the ENE with a short period of 7 seconds. That, combined with a strong cross-off breeze at 25 mph, makes for poor surf conditions. The wave energy is moderate, sitting at 597, but it’s just not shaping up well. This same theme carries through Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th – we’re seeing 5 ft to 7 ft of short-period ENE swell, but that persistent 22-25 mph cross-off wind is ruining any chance of a clean face. The combined energy bumps up a bit to 683 on Tuesday morning, but the quality is still poor.

Wednesday the 26th is where things start to look a little interesting. The morning is still messy with the same old ENE wind and 5 ft swell. But by Wednesday afternoon, the swell swings around to the S, dropping to just 2 ft, and the period jumps right up to 18 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is still moderate at 622, but it’s a long-period south swell hitting a reef that loves it from the SSE. The commentary says marginal surf, and that’s fair, because the size is small, but the quality potential is there if the wind lightens up.

Thursday the 27th keeps that south groundswell going. Morning sees 4 ft from the S at 17 seconds and the afternoon drops to 3 ft at 16 seconds. The wind is still a cross-off from the ENE at 22 mph, which isn't ideal, but for a reef break, a cross-off can be workable. The energy is still moderate, peaking at 876 on Thursday morning. It’s a shame the wind isn’t lighter because the direction and period are on point for this break.

Friday the 28th sees the south swell fading. We’re down to 3 ft to 3 ft from the S at 14 seconds, and the wind stays the same. The energy drops to 389, and conditions are rated poor. The rest of the week, from Saturday the 29th through to Monday the 31st, we’re back to that short-period ENE windswell in the 4 ft to 5 ft range with a persistent 22 mph cross-off breeze. The energy stays moderate, around 500-700 range, but the quality is marginal at best.

Now, here’s where it gets worth paying attention. On Tuesday, September 1st, the magic starts to happen. We see a jump in size to 7 ft from the ENE, with a slightly improved period of 9 seconds. The combined energy rockets to 1246 (strong). The wind is still cross-off, but the conditions are noted as clean. Wednesday the 2nd keeps that going with 7 ft ENE at 8 seconds and energy over 1100. The score is creeping up – it’s still marginal, but it’s getting there. Thursday the 3rd holds at 6-6 ft with moderate breeze, and the energy is in the healthy 800s.

But the real standout, and I mean the one to circle on your calendar, is Saturday, September 6th. Saturday morning you’ve got 8 ft of ENE swell with a long period of 12 seconds – that’s a serious groundswell. The combined energy is huge at 2400 (very strong). Sunday afternoon the 6th sees it peak at 10 ft from the ENE at 11 seconds, with energy at 2397. That is big, powerful surf. At 10 ft, this is strictly for experts only. The wind stays cross-off around 19 mph, which should keep it clean. For a reef like Ala Moana Bowls, this is a proper session. The crowds at Bowls are often heavy, and on a day like this, you can bet it’ll be packed. This is the clear standout of the outlook. Keep an eye on it as we get closer, as long-range calls can shift, but the potential is massive.

The week closes out Monday, September 7th with a drop back to 7 ft from the ENE at 9 seconds, energy still strong at 1261. A solid end to the run, but that Saturday is the one.

Stay sharp.

- Rusty

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